Envelope seal



J. L. LEWIS 1 March 24, 1925. 1,531,110

ENVELOPE SEAL FiledJafi. 1 1924 (ism L. LEVI/1.5

" Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

P OFFICE.

' JESSE L. nnwraor A LENTowN, PENNSYLVANIA.

ENVELOPE SEAL.

structed and arranged that once the envelope is closed it can only be opened either by tearing the material of the envelope itself or by destroying the locking device.

One important object of the invention is to improve and, simplify the general construction of devices of this character. 1 A second important object of the invention is to providean envelope having a flap, the

body and flap being equipped with novel locking means made from metallic wire or strips andso arranged that once looked it cannotbe disengaged without destruction. I

A third important object of the invention is to provide an improved. locking vdevice for'envelopes which may be applied to any of the ordinary shapes of envelopes without requiring special manufacture of'the latter. With the above and other objects in view as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention.

consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated; in the accompanying drawings 1 and specifically claimed; p e

, In the accompanyinig'drawings- Figure 1 is a face view of an envelope in its opened position showing the device applied thereto. y

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail section on the line2-2 of Figure 1 with the envelope in its locked position.

, t Figure 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view showing the lock parts in locked position. v

I Inthe embodiment of the invention here disclosed there is shown an end opening envelope havinga back 11 and a front 12, the latter being providedgwith a closing flap 13 arranged to be doubled over the back in the usualmanner. Extendingacross the back of theenvelope adjacent its mouth is a main locking bar having its ends 14 within the envelope and the extremity of said ends Application filed January 10,1924. Serial No. 685,448.

bent as shown at 15 within the envelope to prevent the bar from turning. The center 7 portion of this locking bar is offset as at,

16 and projects through suitable openings in theback 11 so as to form a species of eye. The end portion of the flap 13 is doubled upon itself and embraces the ends 17 of a loop member provided with a centrally disposed and flattened loop 18 so arranged that, when the flapis closed down this loop member may be hooked behind the central portion 16 of the main locking bar. Fixed to the back 11 and extending beneath the portion 16 is a latch member which has a bodyportion 19 and is provided on one extremity with means'for securing this extremity to the back 11, the means here shown being a cross bar 20 provided with gripping points 21 intended to be forced through the back 11 and gripped down thereon. This latch or finger has its other extremity offset as at 22 and provided with a rebent terminal portion 23.

Now in operation when the loop 18 is engaged beneath the portion 16 of the main lock bar this loop is slid up by the body 19 of the latch and this portion 16 until the extremity of the loop slides over the rebent end 23 of the latch where upon it drops down beneath the latch and looks so that it cannot again be freed from this latch to unlock and permit opening of the envelope. There has thus been provided a simple and eflicient device of the kind described and forthe purpose specified.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in theform and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not,,therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed. Having thus described the what is claimed as new, is:

1. The combination with an envelope body and its flap; of a locking bar carried by the envelope body and forming an eye, a loop member carried by the flap to hook behind the eye, and a latch finger carried by the envelope body and engaging in the loop member upon the latter being hooked through the eye. p

2.-The combination with an envelope body and its flap; of a locking bar carried invention,

by the envelope body and forming an eye, a loop member carried by the flap to hook behind the eye and a latch finger having one end secured to the envelope body and extending from said secured end towards the mouth of the envelope beneath the eye, the free extremity of the latch finger being ofi'set away from the envelope body and re bent whereby to engage and hold the loop member. 10 In testimony whereof I effix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JESSE L. LEWIS. Witnesses CATHERINE F. HoUoK, FRANCES V. HARRIS. 

